The Inverted Dragon's Scale

“You said it yourself, a gentleman’s promise is worth thousands. I’m a gentleman, if I said that I wouldn’t kill you, then that means I definitely won’t kill you. But you’re a girl, even if you say you would help me out of here, you still might not bring me out of here——Why don’t you swear a blood oath? I’ll feel more at ease.”

“——”

“In fact, even if you violated your oath, there won’t be much harm. Right? Many people have sworn that they would be struck by lightning if they violated their oath, but every year how many people are actually killed by lightning——”

“I won’t do it.” Lu Qiji said through clenched teeth. A scholar prefers death to humiliation. She absolutely will not make such an oath.

What sort of person is she? Would she prove her commitment through such a stupid way?

She is someone who does what she says; if she can’t do something she will not say it.

If the other party does not believe her——that is their problem. It has nothing to do with her.

She won’t fall to their level.

This is her bottom line; she has too much pride.

“Look, you have to make our relationship so difficult.” Li Muyang said in a very dissatisfied tone.

His palm pressed on Lu Qiji’s ‘Qi Palace pressure point’ while two of his fingers stretched out from his other hand and jabbed at Lu Qiji’s ‘Heavenly Mountain Pressure Point’ at the back of her neck.

Lu Qiji felt her body weakening, the body of defending Qi she held within her body suddenly all leaked away, just like all the essential qi had been consumed after a fierce fight.

Boiling with fury, Lu Qiji hissed: “Li Muyang, do you know what you are doing?”

“I know.” Li Muyang gave a serious nod. “This ‘Big Spirit Hand’ is specially used to drain qi, block the flow of blood and cause people to lose the ability to fight. This is what I learned from a sacred manual——I’m still not that good, so please bear with me.”

“In this unknown place, you sealed off my body of qi and consequently made me lose the ability to fight; that’s the same as sending me to my death. Li Muyang, this is your attitude in negotiating with me?” Lu Qiji said in a cold voice. “If that’s the case, our deal is cancelled. If I’m not leaving here, you also don’t have a chance of leaving this place.”

Li Muyang shook his head, saying: “You won’t.”

“What?”

“I was a little silly when I was a kid. I like to sit at the entrance to the courtyard and stare at the people passing in the streets, where I often see some interesting stories. Once, I saw a small, thin beggar stopping a big-bellied, rich landlord to beg for money. The fat man was very angry, loudly shouted at the small beggar and started to hit him. After being slapped twice in the face, the little beggar turned crazy. His eyes went red as he glared at the fat man, and then made threatening gestures like a small dog pouncing over——In the end, the fat man tossed a few coins in panic and fled——”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Bare feet are not afraid of shoes.” Li Muyang said. “I’m the little beggar with nothing, you’re the fat landlord. From your manners and the way you speak, it’s obvious that not only are you from an extraordinary background, but one of the noble families of the nine countries. Also, you’re so beautiful; there must a lot of boys chasing after you. You have what you want, how would you let yourself die here?”

Lu Qiji laughed grimly. “Li Muyang, did you know? If it were someone else, I will definitely not die here with them. But if that person is you——I don’t mind dying her with you at all.”

Li Muyang carefully studied Lu Qiji’s face, trying to pierce her serious face before a puzzled expression crossed his face as he asked: “You’re serious?”

“What do you think?”

“I really don’t understand, we’ve only met a few times, how can you have such a deep——feeling towards me?” Li Muyang asked, a perplexed look upon his face. “I’ve read stories of so-called love at first sight before and I was absolutely reluctant to believe in those story. In this world, how could there be love at first sight? But, if not, when we saw each other for the first time at the foot of Nameless Mountain, why did you take the initiative to——start a conversation with me?”

“Because I want you to die.”

“Because you love me?”

“Because I hate you.”

“Where did this hatred come from?” Li Muyang stared questioningly at her as he tried to comprehend her behaviour. “Lu Qiji, I’ve been wanting to ask you a question. Why do you hate me? You tried to kill me repeatedly. What was it for?”

“You don’t know anything?” A mocking smile was playing around the corners of Lu Qiji’s mouth. “That feeling of having countless questions inside but not knowing how to find the answer must be painful, right? You don’t know who you are. You don’t even know what you can do. You’re like a trash, bullied and insulted——Li Muyang, the formerly high and mighty you, would never had thought you would fall into such a miserable situation right?”

“Formerly high and mighty?” Li Muyang wrinkled his brows. “Lu classmate, you’re not mistaking me for someone else, right? I don’t know you and have never seen you before——Moreover, you say I used to be like a trash, bullied and insulted, how would that trash feel superior?”

“Curious? Do you want to know the answer?” Lu Qiji’s eyes grew fiercer. “I won’t tell you. I want you to be tortured to death by this pain.”

Li Muyang handsomely shrugged his shoulders. “You don’t want to tell me, then I also don’t want to ask. How I was like before, I know more than anybody. You’re right, I’ve been insulted like a trash before, but it’s not going to happen anymore. After I entered into Starry Sky Academy, my life has changed.”

Li Muyang lifted his head, gazing at the broad square and standing straight and alert, as he said in a raised and overbearing tone that he suddenly adopted: “From now on, no one can bully me.”

“——” Lu Qiji stood dumbfounded looking at Li Muyang, like she’s looking at that handsome, fluttering white-robed youngster.

Arrogant, confident and almighty. As though he ruled both the sky and earth.

The him at that time is also the Li Muyang now.

Li Muyang, this idiot, he really is his successor——even when he knows nothing, he is still unconsciously influenced by his presence.

The aggressiveness and power that he revealed in that split second was enough to fill the heart of anyone with fear and timidity.

“Except for my little sister.” Li Muyang added after a long silence.

“——”

Lu Qiji felt she thought too highly of this idiot.

He is still an idiot, a trash, an insignificant person from Jiangnan city. His body possess something that is hard to defeat and she can’t help but fear, however——

He still disappeared in the end.

Li Muyang is Li Muyang; he will never become the supreme king that occupies the thorny throne and was worshipped by millions.

As she thought of this, Lu Qiji suddenly felt somewhat futile.

“What is the point of my persistence? My sacrifice——-how many people will know of it?”

Lu Qiji composed her emotions and organised her thoughts before turning her attention back to Li Muyang, emotionless like before, when she said aloud: “We have to find the next boundary point.”

“What is a boundary point?” Li Muyang asked aloud.

The fact that this guy did not even know about such a simple problem, intensified Lu Qiji’s anger and frustration.

“You fell from the cold pond to here because you broke through the prohibition spell at the bottom of the lake that was setup by someone powerful.” Lu Qiji impatiently explained: “The same with any prohibition, you can’t return to the original place. You must find a boundary entry point, another door——Once we break that door, we can return to the original place.”

“I see.” Li Muyang exclaimed as if a thought had flashed into her mind: “You must know where the boundary point is, right?”

“I don’t know.” Lu Qiji said. “不知道。”陸契機說道。

Li Muyang cried anxiously: “Lu Qiji, don’t you dare trick me. You promised me just now that you will bring me safely back to Broken Mountain——But you don’t even know where the boundary point is. If you don’t know, how can you bring me back?”

“Idiot.” Lu Qiji snapped. “I said I don’t know where the boundary point is, it doesn’t mean I won’t find it.”

Although scolded, Li Muyang was not the slightest bit angry, instead his lips curved into a smile. “I knew there is nothing you can’t do——then we’ll start now. Your Chu Xun boy must be anxiously trying to save you, if we don’t return soon, I’m afraid he’ll be eaten by the toad.”

A scarlet flame flashed in Lu Qiji’s eyes, before she took the lead, bringing Li Muyang deeper into the palace.

The white jade floor emitted a wondrous light, the green-brown walls were covered with all sorts of marks and symbols.

The symbols were coated with a thick layer of dust and grime, and some corners were either hung with cobwebs or had formed the home of bloodthirsty bats.

Li Muyang looked puzzled. In this empty and spacious hall, where no living creatures are found, what does the bats rely on to survive?

At the end of the long corridor was a huge wall inlaid with a double-sided arhat.

Lu Qiji carefully studied the wall, before stretching out her hand to brush her fingers against the Arhat’s eyes, until a loud boom flung the giant door up.

Clang——

The moment the stone gate stabilizes, Lu Qiji took the lead again and walked ahead.

Li Muyang hesitantly followed behind.

A winding stone path led down a steep slope but because of the many corners, there was no way to see where it leads.

Lu Qiji walked in front, while Li Muyang closely trailed behind.

The farther they went, the deeper it was.

As though this stone path could lead to hell.

On either side of the stone path, it was illuminated by jewels embedded in the wall. Walking behind, no matter how much Li Muyang furtively tried, he could not pull out the jewels on the wall——

The lower they went, the gloomier and more humid it was.

The lower they went, the stronger the disgusting and nauseating bloody smell.

“It won’t be a place of slaughter below us, right?” Li Muyang tried to enliven the atmosphere, and hopefully improve his relationship with Lu Qiji. At this moment, he really needed this woman to lead the way.

Lu Qiji did not respond, her eyebrows already tightly scrunched up and her eyes shifting warily around their surroundings

She felt danger.

After they twisted around another corner, they finally reached the bottom of the stone steps.

Then, they stood there agape at the sight that lay in front of them.

“Dragons.” Li Muyang murmured. “There really——are dragons.”